Virtue and Excellence of Serving in the Army

Jihad of Man and Woman

Kinds of Jihad (struggle)

To Whom Does the Obligation of Jihad Apply, and to Whom it Does not Apply

Mobilization Along with People when there is Fear for al-Islam

Under Whose Command Obligatory Jihad Takes Place?

‘Amr ibn ‘Ubayd and al-Mu’taziliy Groups’ Visiting abu ‘Abd Allah ‘Alayhi al-Salam

The Recommendations of the Messenger of Allah and Amir al-Mu’minin, about Smaller Armed Expeditions

Chapter 9(a) - Granting Immunity

Chapter 9(b)

Chapter 9(c)

Challenging the Enemy for a Fight

Kindness to the Prisoners and Providing Him Food

Calling to al-Islam before Fighting

Chapter 13(a) - Matters about which Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s), Recommended at the Time of War

Chapter 13(b)

It is not Lawful for a Muslim to Reside in a War Zone

Chapter 15(a) - Distribution of the Properties Captured from the Enemy

Chapter 15(b)

Chapter 15(c)

The Slogan

The Virtue of Maintaining Horses, Racing and Sharp Shooting Contests

Man’s Defending Himself Against the Thief

The Case of one Murdered over His Stolen Property

Chapter 20(a) - The Excellence of Martyrdom

Chapter 20(b)

Chapter 20(c)

Commanding others what is Obligatory and to Prohibit them from doing Evil

Chapter 22(a) - Rejecting Evil in one’s Heart

Chapter 22(b)

The Case of those who Displease the Creator to Please the Creatures

It is Detestable to Expose One’s Self to What He Cannot Endure

Al-Sufiy People’s Visiting Abu ‘Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam

The Meaning of Zuhd (Asceticism)

Using the Worldly Resources as Means for Success in the Hereafter

The Degree Of Efforts Which One Must Make In Search For One’s Sustenance To Follow In the Footsteps of ‘A’immah ‘Alayhim al-Salam

Promoting The Quest For Sustenance And Work To Make A Living

Al^Ibla’ (Trying) in the Work for Living

Meticulous Effort to Make a Living

Receiving Sustenance from Unexpected Sources

The Detestability of Sleeping and Passing Time without Work

Detestability of Laziness

One’s Working in His House

Amending one’s Properties and Planning for one’s Living

Hard Work for the Family

Earning Lawful kind of Sustenance

Saving for One’s Living Expenses

Detestability of Offering Oneself for Hire

Performing Personally one’s Business Tasks

Buying and Selling Real Estate

Debts and Borrowing

Payment of Debts

To Retaliate and Offset for Debts

When a Man Dies Payment of his Debts becomes Due

The Case of One Who Borrows But Does Not Intend To Pay Back

Sell off Debts in Exchange for Debts

Etiquette of Asking for Payment

The Case of Delaying Due Payment

Lodging With a Borrower When Demanding Payment

Chapter 28(a) - The Case of Gift to a Creditor

Chapter 28(b) - Bail out and Assignment or Referral

Working for al-Sultan and his Rewards

The Conditions to Work for al-Sultan

Selling Arms to al- Sultan

The Crafts (Technologies)

The Legal Status of Income from Cupping Operation

Income from Eulogizing Someone to Make People Mourn

The Legal Status of Income from Hairdressing and Circumcising

The Legal Status of the Income of Female Singer from Singing and Selling Singers (Slave-girls)

The Legal Status of Income from Teaching

The legal Status of Income from Selling Copies of the Holy Quran

Gambling and Looting

Earning in Unlawful ways

Unlawful Earnings in the form of al-Suht such as Buying and Selling of Intoxicating Liquors . . .

Consuming the Properties of Orphans

The Amount a Supervisor of the Properties of Orphans Can Lawfully Use

Using the Properties of Orphans in Business and Lending

Safe Return of Trust

A Father and Son’s Using Each Others Properties

A Husband and Wife’s Using Each Other’s Properties

Found and Lost Properties

Gifts and Presents

Rule about Unlawful Interest

Unlawful Interest Does Not Apply Between a Father and Son

The Excellence of Doing Business and Giving It Proper Attention

Etiquettes of Doing Business

Excellence of Keeping Accounts and Books

Entering the Market Before Others

Speaking of Allah, Most High, in the Market

Words to Say When Buying for Resale Purposes

People With Whom Doing Business Is Not Recommended

Using Proper and Improper Measurements in Business

Cheating in Business

Swearing at the Time of Buying and Selling

The Case of Prices of Goods

The Case of Monopolization (Hoarding) Goods in Public Demand

Another Chapter

Excellence of Buying Wheat and Food

Detestability of Estimating and Preferability of Using Measurements

Continuing Profitable Businesses

1- عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ عُثْمَانَ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ سَمَاعَةَ قَالَ سَأَلْتُهُ عَنْ شِرَاءِ الطَّعَامِ مِمَّا يُكَالُ أَوْ يُوزَنُ هَلْ يَصْلُحُ شِرَاهُ بِغَيْرِ كَيْلٍ وَلا وَزْنٍ فَقَالَ أَمَّا أَنْ تَأْتِيَ رَجُلا فِي طَعَامٍ قَدِ اكْتِيلَ أَوْ وُزِنَ فَيَشْتَرِيَ مِنْهُ مُرَابَحَةً فَلا بَأْسَ إِنْ أَنْتَ اشْتَرَيْتَهُ وَلَمْ تَكِلْهُ أَوْ تَزِنْهُ إِذَا كَانَ الْمُشْتَرِي الأوَّلُ قَدْ أَخَذَهُ بِكَيْلٍ أَوْ وَزْنٍ فَقُلْتَ عِنْدَ الْبَيْعِ إِنِّي أُرْبِحُكَ فِيهِ كَذَا وَكَذَا وَقَدْ رَضِيتُ بِكَيْلِكَ أَوْ وَزْنِكَ فَلا بَأْسَ.

1. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ‘Uthman ibn ‘Isa from Sama‘ah who has said the following: “I once asked him (the Imam) (a.s.), about buying food which is exchanged by means of weighing or measuring, if such items can be bought without weighing or measuring. He (the Imam) said, ‘If you find a man with food which he has weighed or measured and it is bought from him with profit for him, it is not harmful if you buy it without weighing and measuring. If the first buyer had bought it by weighing and measurement and you say when buying, “I give you such and such amount of profit and I accept your weighing and measuring then it is not harmful.’”” 

2- عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ حَمَّادٍ عَنِ الْحَلَبِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) أَنَّهُ قَالَ فِي الرَّجُلِ يَبْتَاعُ الطَّعَامَ ثُمَّ يَبِيعُهُ قَبْلَ أَنْ يُكَالَ قَالَ لا يَصْلُحُ لَهُ ذَلِكَ.

2. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father and Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Hammad from al-Halabiy who has said the following: “About the case of a man who buys a certain amount of food then sells it without weighing or measurement, he (the Imam) said, ‘It is not a valid deal.’” 

3- مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ حَدِيدٍ عَنْ جَمِيلِ بْنِ دَرَّاجٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) فِي الرَّجُلِ يَشْتَرِي الطَّعَامَ ثُمَّ يَبِيعُهُ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَقْبِضَهُ قَالَ لا بَأْسَ وَيُوَكِّلُ الرَّجُلُ الْمُشْتَرِيَ مِنْهُ بِقَبْضِهِ وَكَيْلِهِ قَالَ لا بَأْسَ [بِذَلِكَ].

3. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Ali ibn Hadid from Jamil ibn Darraj who has said the following: “About the case of a man who buys food then sells it before receiving delivery, he (the Imam) said, ‘It is not harmful.’ ‘Can he appoint the second buyer as his agent to receive delivery?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘It is not harmful.’” 

4- عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ حَمَّادٍ عَنِ الْحَلَبِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) فِي ر��جُلٍ اشْتَرَى مِنْ رَجُلٍ طَعَاماً عِدْلا بِكَيْلٍ مَعْلُومٍ ثُمَّ إِنَّ صَاحِبَهُ قَالَ لِلْمُشْتَرِي ابْتَعْ مِنِّي هَذَا الْعِدْلَ الآخَرَ بِغَيْرِ كَيْلٍ فَإِنَّ فِيهِ مِثْلَ مَا فِي الآخَرِ الَّذِي ابْتَعْتَهُ قَالَ لا يَصْلُحُ إِلا أَنْ يَكِيلَ وَقَالَ مَا كَانَ مِنْ طَعَامٍ سَمَّيْتَ فِيهِ كَيْلا فَإِنَّهُ لا يَصْلُحُ مُجَازَفَةً هَذَا مَا يُكْرَهُ مِنْ بَيْعِ الطَّعَامِ.

4. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Hammad from al-Halabiy who has said the following: “About the case of a man who buys food from another man, a package by means of known measurement then the party asks the buyer to buy from him another similar package without measurement, because it is similar to the other package already bought. He (the Imam) said, ‘It is not valid without measurement.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Venturous estimation in food items which are exchanged by measurement is not valid and it is of undesirable matters in food items.’” 

5- حُمَيْدُ بْنُ زِيَادٍ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سَمَاعَةَ عَنْ غَيْرِ وَاحِدٍ عَنْ أَبَانِ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللهِ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) عَنْ رَجُلٍ عَلَيْهِ كُرٌّ مِنْ طَعَامٍ فَاشْتَرَى كُرّاً مِنْ رَجُلٍ آخَرَ فَقَالَ لِلرَّجُلِ انْطَلِقْ فَاسْتَوْفِ كُرَّكَ قَالَ لا بَأْسَ بِهِ.

5. Humayd ibn Ziyad has narrated from al-Hassan ibn Muhammad ibn Sama‘ah from more than one person from Aban ibn ‘Uthman from ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn abu ‘Abd Allah who has said the following: “This is concerning my question before abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the case of a man who owes one kur (a certain amount) of food. He then buys one kur of food from another man and asks his creditor to come to receive the Kur of food owed to him. He (the Imam) said, ‘Such a transaction is not harmful.’” 

6- مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ عَنْ صَفْوَانَ بْنِ يَحْيَى عَنْ إِسْحَاقَ بْنِ عَمَّارٍ عَنْ أَبِي الْعُطَارِدِ قَالَ قُلْتُ لأبِي عَبْدِ اللهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) أَشْتَرِي الطَّعَامَ فَأَضَعُ فِي أَوَّلِهِ وَأَرْبَحُ فِي آخِرِهِ فَأَسْأَلُ صَاحِبِي أَنْ يَحُطَّ عَنِّي فِي كُلِّ كُرٍّ كَذَا وَكَذَا فَقَالَ هَذَا لا خَيْرَ فِيهِ وَلَكِنْ يَحُطُّ عَنْكَ جُمْلَةً قُلْتُ فَإِنْ حَطَّ عَنِّي أَكْثَرَ مِمَّا وَضِعْتُ قَالَ لا بَأْسَ بِهِ قُلْتُ فَأُخْرِجُ الْكُرَّ وَالْكُرَّيْنِ فَيَقُولُ الرَّجُلُ أَعْطِنِيهِ بِكَيْلِكَ فَقَالَ إِذَا ائْتَمَنَكَ فَلَيْسَ بِهِ بَأْسٌ.

6. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Muhammad ibn al-Husayn from Safwan ibn Yahya from Ishaq ibn ‘Ammar from abu al-‘Atarud who has said the following: “I once said to abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), that I buy food in a deal in the beginning of which I lose and in the end I gain profit. I then ask my friend to reduce a certain amount on each kur. He (the Imam) said, ‘There is nothing good in it, however, he can reduce a certain sum.’ I then asked, ‘Can he reduce more than I have lost?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘It is not harmful.’ I then asked if I can keep aside one or two kur and the man asks me to give him according to my measurement. He (the Imam) said, ‘It is not harmful if he can trust you.’” 

7- مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ عَنْ صَفْوَانَ بْنِ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْمُكَارِي عَنْ عَبْدِ الْمَلِكِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو قَالَ قُلْتُ لأبِي عَبْدِ اللهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) أَشْتَرِي الطَّعَامَ فَأَكْتَالُهُ وَمَعِي مَنْ قَدْ شَهِدَ الْكَيْلَ وَإِنَّمَا اكْتَلْتُهُ لِنَفْسِي فَيَقُولُ بِعْنِيهِ فَأَبِيعُهُ إِيَّاهُ بِذَلِكَ الْكَيْلِ الَّذِي كِلْتُهُ قَالَ لا بَأْسَ.

7. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Muhammad ibn al-Husayn from Safwan ibn Yahya from abu Sa‘id al-Mukariy from ‘Abd al-Malik ibn ‘Amr who has said the following: “This is concerning my question before abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about food that I buy and I measure it when someone witnesses my measuring but I measure it for myself. He then says, ‘Sell it to me.’ I then sell it to him by means of the same measurement that I made for myself. He (the Imam) said, ‘It is not harmful.”’ 

8- عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ جَمِيلٍ قَالَ قُلْتُ لأبِي عَبْدِ اللهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) اشْتَرَى رَجُلٌ تِبْنَ بَيْدَرٍ كُلَّ كُرٍّ بِشَيْ‏ءٍ مَعْلُومٍ فَيَقْبِضُ التِّبْنَ وَيَبِيعُهُ قَبْلَ أَنْ يُكَالَ الطَّعَامُ قَالَ لا بَأْسَ بِهِ.

8. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Jamil who has said the following: “This is concerning my question before abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the case of a man who buys hay which is on the threshing floor, each kur for a certain amount. He receives delivery of hay and sells it before measuring the hay. He (the Imam) said, ‘It is not harmful.’” 

9- مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ عَنْ صَفْوَانَ عَنِ ابْنِ مُسْكَانَ عَنْ إِسْحَاقَ الْمَدَائِنِيِّ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) عَنِ الْقَوْمِ يَدْخُلُونَ السَّفِينَةَ يَشْتَرُونَ الطَّعَامَ فَيَتَسَاوَمُونَ بِهَا ثُمَّ يَشْتَرِي رَجُلٌ مِنْهُمْ فَيَتَسَاءَلُونَهُ فَيُعْطِيهِمْ مَا يُرِيدُونَ مِنَ الطَّعَامِ فَيَكُونُ صَاحِبُ الطَّعَامِ هُوَ الَّذِي يَدْفَعُهُ إِلَيْهِمْ وَيَقْبِضُ الثَّمَنَ قَالَ لا بَأْسَ مَا أَرَاهُمْ إِلا وَقَدْ شَرِكُوهُ فَقُلْتُ إِنَّ صَاحِبَ الطَّعَامِ يَدْعُو كَيَّالا فَيَكِيلُهُ لَنَا وَلَنَا أُجَرَاءُ فَيُعَيِّرُونَهُ فَيَزِيدُ وَيَنْقُصُ قَالَ لا بَأْسَ مَا لَمْ يَكُنْ شَيْ‏ءٌ كَثِيرٌ غَلَطٌ. 

9. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Muhammad ibn al-Husayn from Safwan from ibn Muskan from Ishaq al-Mad’iniy who has said the following: “This is concerning my question before abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the case of a people who embark in a ship and buy food and bargain about it. Then one man buys from them. They ask him and he gives them what they ask for of food. So he who collects payment and gives them food becomes the owner of food. He (the Imam) said, ‘It is not harmful. I do not see anything else except that they were partners.’ I then said, ‘The owner of food asks a measuring person who measures for us and we have workers who examine and finds increases and decreases. He (the Imam) said, ‘It is not harmful if errors are not many.’” 

Al-Kāfi - Volume 5

Book 2, Chapter 74